The Hadiths by Pure Household

• The Hadiths by Pure Household

Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, is quoted saying: “Anyone who dies and leaves a debt, it would be our responsibility to pay his debt and take care of his family; but if one dies and leaves an inheritance, it would belong to the inheritors.”

Imam Ali, peace be upon him, has also mentioned that the holy Prophet of Islam never left the pulpit, unless he said in public: “Anyone who dies and leaves a property, it belongs to the inheritors; but if one dies and leaves a debt and a family that needs to be taken care of, it is my responsibility.”

The two famous Shia scholars, Tusi and Kulayni, may they rest in peace, have also narrated that Imam Kazim, peace be upon him, said: “Everyone should try to provide for himself and his family by legitimate means, because it is like that he has sacrificed his life in the path of God. However, if he was not successful, he should borrow what he needs as ordered by the Almighty God and the Messenger. If this person passes away and can’t afford to pay his debts, the Imam (leader) should pay off his debts, and if he doesn’t, the sin is on him.”

These two famous scholars have also narrated that Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: “The Imam pays off the debts of the believers.”

Sheikh Tusi, may he rest in peace, also narrated this story from Imam Baqir, peace be upon him.

A man went to Imam Baqir and said: “Sire, I have a debt and whenever I think of it, it makes me feel upset. The Imam told him: “Why? Haven’t you heard that the holy Prophet of Islam, in one of his sermons, said: Anyone who dies and leaves nothing to his family, I will take responsibility for them; but if one dies and leaves an inheritance, it belongs to his family. Now, you should know the promises of the holy Prophet of Islam are in effect even after his death.

The man said: “Oh, my life be sacrificed for yours. It is a relief”

Ayyashi has also mentioned the story of a man, named Abul Hasan from the peninsula, who asked Imam Rida, peace be upon him:

“Your honor, the Almighty God states in holy Quran:

One who faces hardship in paying his debts must be given time until his financial condition improves.

Chapter 2, Verse 280

Could you please clarify on the concept of the term “time” in this holy verse? Is there any specific time that should be waited for the debtor to pay back his debts? What if the debtor had already spent the entire debt to feed his family, and that he had no farms nor had he had any capital so that he could sell them and pay off his debts.

The Imam answered the man: The debtor must be given enough time so that the Imam is made aware of his incapability to pay off the debt. Then, the Imam will pay for him from the share of the debtors.”

Sheikh Saduq, in the book of Ma’ani Al-Akhbar, reveals a document from Imam Rida, peace be upon him, where he narrated:

“The holy Prophet of Islam ascended to the pulpit and said: Anyone who dies and leaves a debt or a vulnerable family, I will take responsibility for them and they should come to me; but if one leaves behind a wealth or a capital, it would only belong to the inheritors. This is why that it is said the holy Prophet of Islam announced that he has authority over the believers even more than themselves. After the holy Prophet, his successor, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, practiced this method, bearing the same responsibility and authority of the holy Prophet of Islam.

Sheikh Mufid, in his book Amali, quotes Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said:

The holy Prophet of Islam went up to the pulpit, while his face looked brighter than usual. Then he looked at the crowd of people and said: Oh, the Muslims. My mission as the God’s messenger and the Day of Judgment are like these two fingers. Oh, people. Anyone who dies and leaves an inheritance to his family, it belongs to them but if one dies and leaves behind an orphaned family, they should come to me and I will provide for them.

It is also narrated that Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, stated: “If a debtor fails to pay off his debts, in case he hasn’t spent the money for a sinful or wasteful purpose, the creditor must give him enough time until God provides for the debtor so that he can pay off his debts. If there was a just leader and Imam, he is obliged to pay off the debts because the holy Prophet of Islam used to say: Anyone who dies and leaves an inheritance, it belongs to the inheritors; but if one dies and leaves behind a weak family or a debt, I will take responsibility. The promises of the holy Prophet are fulfilled by the just Imams even after his death.

This notion is an important clause in Islam’s plans for social security, depicting the depth of humanitarian values in this holy religion and progressive style for gove

ance.

Unlike the real Islam, the developed and civilized countries levy taxes on the inheritance money; however, in retu

, if a person dies and leaves a debt, the gove

ments take no responsibility for them. It is obvious that suchlike measures catalyze the process of division and disunion in any society, and they destroy the grounds for cooperation and assistance because there are no motives left for people to lend money to one another. In such a society, if the debtor fails to pay off his debts, particularly if he dies, who will take on the responsibility to pay off the debts?

In such systems and gove

ments, the needy and poor will not be trusted to be given loans or credits.

Now, the question is: Is there social security plan, as sound and perfect as that of Islam in our civilized and developed world? The answer is clearly no.

• Islam’s Policy and Inte

  ational Relationships in the views of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

“God does not forbid you to deal kindly and justly with those who have not fought against you about the religion,”

Chapter 60, Verse 8

To increase diplomatic stability and increase ties with other nations, even the non-Muslim ones, Islam has set one important principle. In fact, Islam supports establishing diplomatic and friendly relationships with the non-Muslim countries that have not incurred any damage to the Muslims. Likewise, Islam denounces any diplomatic ties with the countries that have hurt the Muslims. In this regard, the Almighty God says:

“God does not forbid you to deal kindly and justly with those who have not fought against you about the religion, or expelled you from your homes. God does not love the unjust people. He only forbids you to be friends with those who have fought against you about the religion, expelled you from your homes or supported others in expelling you. Whoever loves these people are unjust.”

Chapter 60, Verses 8 & 9

Henceforth, the Muslims were not allowed to befriend and establish ties with non-Muslim gove

ments that have hurt the Muslims or have expelled them from their homes. Still, it remained legitimate for the Muslims to have diplomatic ties and befriend with the unbiased and impartial non-Muslim gove

ments.

This holy verse of Quran denotes to the two clans of Banu Khuza’a and Banu Mudlej. These clans signed a treaty with the holy Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, and promised that they would pick up an impartial role in the wars against the Muslims. To be more precise, they gave assurances that they would never fight the Muslims nor would they ever help a third party to fight with the Muslims. This treaty helped establish a status of peaceful coexistence among the Muslims and these two clans, giving enough space to the members of these different communities to help one another and exchange viewpoints. In a wider perspective, this treaty promoted the global bond between human beings, which was previously defined by Islam. In this regard, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, states:

“People are of two kinds, either your brothers in faith or your equals in humanity.”

The Muslims never cut ties with the peoples that have not fought or expelled them from their homes. However, if the Muslims are attacked by any nation or country, then, they will end their peaceful ties with the aggressors in order to defend themselves.

The behavior of the holy Prophet of Islam with the nonbelievers, including the polytheists, the Jews, and the Christians is the best example to follow for any Islamic gove

ment. The Almighty God has also stated:

“The Messenger of God is certainly a good example for those of you who have hope in God and in the Day of Judgment and who remember God very often.”

Chapter 33, Verse 21

Additionally, there are other Quranic verses about this subject. The following paragraphs will present a brief account of some of these holy verses, with interpretations from the book of Majma’ al-Bayan attached to them. Hopefully, these few verses can shed some light on the inte

ational relationships defined by the holy Quran.

• Islam Superior to Kinship

“Your relatives and children will never be of any benefit to you. On the Day of Judgment, God will separate you from them. He is All-aware of what you do. Abraham and those with him are the best examples for you to follow. They told the people, “We have nothing to do with you and with those whom you worship besides God. We have rejected you. Enmity and hatred will separate us forever unless you believe in One God.” Abraham told his father, “I shall ask forgiveness for you only, …”

Chapter 60, Verse 3 & 4

“Your relatives and children will never be of any benefit to you”: In the opening, this verse addresses the Muslims and tells them that their relatives and children should not make them betray the God’s messenger because they will not be of any help or benefit, if the Muslims commits sins for their sake. “On the Day of Judgment, God will separate you from them.” This part of the verse, unfolds the reality that the believers and obedient servants of God will reside in Paradise while the unbelieving sinners will be consumed by hellfire. On the Day of Judgment, the believers and nonbelievers will be separated and the believers will witness their nonbelieving relatives in fire.

Then, the Almighty God brings up the example of Abraham, peace be upon him, who renounced his friendship with the nonbelieving people. “Abraham and those with him are the best examples for you to follow.” This verse also introduces the God’s messenger, Prophet Abraham and his followers as good examples, because they renounced their friendships with the nonbelievers. “They told the people, We have nothing to do with you and with those whom you worship besides God.” In addition, Abraham and his followers renounced the false gods of the nonbelievers and declared that their friendship with them is over. “We have rejected you. Enmity and hatred will separate us forever,” However, the only condition that can amend these friendly ties, is that “unless you believe in One God.”

This verse continues: “except when Abraham told his father, I shall ask forgiveness for you,” This holy verse begins with God Almighty introducing Prophet Abraham as an example to be followed; however, at this point, the Almighty God says that the Muslims should not do as the holy Prophet Abraham did. He had promised his father that he would pray for his forgiveness. In fact, the Muslims were wa

ed that the kinship should not stop them from performing their duties. In the end, when it became clear that Abraham’s father was also an enemy of God, this God’s messenger renounced him too.

• Abraham, an Example of Perseverance

“They are the best examples for those who have hope in God and the Day of Judgment. Whoever tu

away should know that God is Self-sufficient and Praiseworthy. God will perhaps bring about love between you and those of the disbelievers with whom you were enemies. God is All-powerful, All-merciful, and All-forgiving. God does not forbid you to deal kindly and justly with those who have not fought against you about the religion or expelled you from your homes. God does not love the unjust people. He only forbids you to be friends with those who have fought against you about the religion, expelled you from your homes or supported others in expelling you. Whoever loves these people are unjust.”

Chapter 60, Verses 6-9

In these holy verses, the Merciful God once again introduces Abraham and his people as good example, saying: “They are the best examples,” The reason why Prophet Abraham has been mentioned as a good example twice is that each of these examples are independently discussed.

This time, God explains that Prophet Abraham and his people are good examples because of their strong hopes to their Lord; while they were previously introduced as examples for their enmity towards the pagans and nonbelievers.

The rest of the verse, “for those who have hope in God and the Day of Judgment” indicates the idea that this example is most fitting to people who fear God and the divine retribution. However, others believe that this part of the verse refers to people who look forward to God’s ete

al rewards.

The next part of the verse, “Whoever tu

away” means that people who have chosen not to follow the path of Abraham, or the rest of God’s messengers and the believers have in fact willfully spu

ed the benefits that could reach them. The next few words in the verse are a completion to this statement as Quran states: “God is Self-sufficient and Praiseworthy.” These two attributes of God also try to convey the message that the rejection of the nonbelievers cannot bring any harm or damage to the Almighty Lord.

“God does not forbid you to deal kindly and justly with those who have not fought against you about the religion or expelled you from your homes.” Quran also continues to say that the Muslims are allowed to behave justly and kindly to the nonbelievers who have signed and are committed to a peace treaty between them and the Muslims.

Furthermore, in this holy verse, the Almighty God instructs the Muslims to deal kindly and justly towards the peaceful parties because “God does not love the unjust people.”

Then, this verse adds:

“He only forbids you to be friends with those who have fought against you about the religion,” it means that God forbids the Muslims to befriend and deal kindly towards the peoples, such as the Meccan and other communities, who fought to abolish the religion or “expelled you from your homes or supported others in expelling you.” God does not allow the Muslims to make friends with the peoples with such records of enmity towards the Muslims and Islam. It was while that a fraction of the Muslims exposed the secrets of Muslims in their friendly relationships with these staunch enemies of Islam. Therefore, God closes this verse with this wa

ing: “Whoever loves these people are unjust.”

• The Believing Immigrant Women

“Believers, when believing immigrant women come to you, test them. God knows best about their faith. If you know that they are believers, do not retu

them to the disbelievers. Such women are not lawful for them and disbelievers are not lawful for such women. Give the disbelievers whatever they have spent (on such women for their dowry). There is no offense for you to marry them if you agree to give them their dowry. Do not hold unto your disbelieving wives; you may get back what you have spent on them for their dowry and the disbelievers may also ask for what they have spent. This is the command of God by which He judges you. God is All-knowing and All-wise. If your wives go away from you to disbelievers who will not give you back the dowry which you spent on them, let the Muslims pay back such dowry from the property of the disbelievers which may come into their hands. Have fear of God in whom you believe.”

Chapter 60, Verses 10 and 11

The Almighty God, in holy Quran, explains the Islamic law about the believing immigrant women and their husbands, right after He announces the end of all friendly bonds and attachments between the Muslims and the aggressive nonbelievers.  “Believers, when believing immigrant women come to you, test them.” God orders the believers to test the faith of these women; still, God calls these women as believers since “God knows best about their faith.” The believers will only know about the surface of the faith of these women, while the Almighty Lord is all-aware of the faith in the heart of these immigrant women.

Quran continues: “If you know that they are believers, do not retu

them to the disbelievers. Such women are not lawful for them and disbelievers are not lawful for such women.” It indicates that the conversion of these immigrant women marks the end of their marriage to their nonbelieving husbands, despite it being against the wills of their husbands.

“Give the disbelievers whatever they have spent (on such women for their dowry).” And in the next part of the verse, Almighty God allows the Muslims to marry these women, by paying them for the dowry. “There is no offense for you to marry them if you agree to give them their dowry.” It again highlights the fact that the conversion of these women has officially annulled their previous marriage bonds.

“Do not hold unto your disbelieving wives; you may get back what you have spent on them for their dowry,” In this part of the verse, the Almighty God orders the Muslims not to continue living with their nonbelieving wives; if these women joined the nonbelievers, the Muslims can ask for the dowry they paid for those wives, just as the nonbelievers would have asked for the dowry they paid their wives who had converted to Islam.

“This is the command of God by which He judges you. God is All-knowing and All-wise.” It is only for the All-wise and All-knowing God to give commands because such commands are as much wise and righteous.

After the revelation of this holy verse, the Muslims followed these Quranic instructions and paid for the dowry of the believing immigrant women to their nonbelieving husbands; however, the nonbelievers were not satisfied.

Then, this verse was revealed: “If your wives go away from you to disbelievers who will not give you back the dowry which you spent on them, let the Muslims pay back such dowry from the property of the disbelievers which may come into their hands.” In this verse, God commanded the Muslims that if the nonbelievers refused to pay for the dowry of the women who left their Muslim husbands and went back to the nonbelievers, then the Muslims can pay Muslim men using the spoils they get from the battles.

The same method was in place for the women who left their Muslim husbands and joined the communities and tribes that had signed a treaty with the Muslim community. However, if these communities refused to pay for the dowry of these women, then, these Muslim men could receive their dowry from the spoils of war.

“Have fear of God in whom you believe.” In the end, God Almighty wa

s the believers to obey the God’s commands.

It is said that there were only six women, who left their Muslim husbands and went back to the nonbelievers.

1. Um Hakam, the daughter of Abu Sufyan and the wife of Ayaz ibn Shaddad Fahari
2. Fatima the daughter of Abi Umayyah ib Mughayrah, she was the wife of Umar bin Khattab and the sister of Um Salamah, the Prophet’s wife; upon the immigration of Umar, she didn’t leave with him and stayed with the nonbelievers.
3. Buru’ the daughter of Aqaba and the wife of Shammas ibn Othman
4. Amdah the daughter of Abdul Ezzi ibn Fazlah and the wife of Amr ibn Abduwad
5. Hind the daughter of Abu Jahl ibn Husham and the wife of Husham ibn Aas ibn Wael
6. Kulthum the daughter of Jarul and the wife of Umar

The holy Prophet of Islam paid the dowry of these women to their husbands from the spoils of war.

• Rejection of Colonialism

“Believers, do not establish friendship with the people who have become subject to the wrath of God. They do not have any hope in the life to come, just as the disbelievers have no hope in those who are in their graves.”

Chapter 60, Verse 13

Following the verses discussed in former pages, the Almighty God says: “Believers, do not establish friendship with the people (the Jews and Christians), who have become subject to the wrath of God.”

This holy verse refers to a group of poor Muslims who exposed the secrets of the Muslims to the Jews, made friends with them, and finally could benefit from their harvests. The Almighty God stopped the Muslims from establishing such relationships, telling them that the Jews have lost hope in the afterlife, just like the nonbelievers lost hope in the dead in graves. It was mainly because the Jews were fully aware that Prophet Muhammad is the last promised messenger of God; however, they rejected him out of pride. Therefore, they lost hope in the afterlife, because they knew that their rejection will bring them ete

al retribution.

• Islam’s Policy on Population Growth, in the views of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

The holy Prophet of Islam stated: “tend to marriage and give birth so that your number grows; on the Day of Judgment, I will take pride in your large number, even if it’s the miscarried babies.”

Even today, the countries take pride in their large populations and it is just natural, because in countries with larger populations, there is more work force to push these countries forward. The number of industries and inventions will also increase and the military power of these countries will improve against their foreign threats.

A large population can also save a country from the threats of colonialism; usually, the small countries are easy targets for the colonialist powers, while the countries with large populations resist the colonialists in much greater force.

Now, we want to see into the stance of Islam in this matter:

At the time when the world was in a deep sleep, Islam foresaw the perks and outcomes of large populations and it set series of policies for tu

ing the Muslim nation into a powerful and influential community. In the following, we will point out to some of these policies.

1. Islam always encourages the young boys and girls to get married, once they reach the age of religious maturity. The holy Prophet of Islam has also stated: “The worst dead people are the bachelors.”

The holy Prophet also said: “A two rakat prayers of a married person is worth more than seventy rakat prayers of the single ones.”

His holiness also said: “For a father, it is a blessing that her daughter doesn’t experience her period in his house.” It means that a father should marry her daughter off before she is on her first period.

1. Islam tries to remove all obstacles for marriage, by encouraging its adherents to simplify the marriage process and reduce their financial expectations. The noble hadiths state: “The best women are the ones with the most beautiful faces and the least Mahr (a mandatory payment, in the form of money or possessions paid or promised to pay by the groom).”

It is also advised that if a faithful person proposed to a girl, he should not be rejected for financial reasons, even though the suitor was not a well-to-do person.

The Almighty God also states:

“If they are poor, God will make them rich through His favor; He is Bountiful and All-knowing.”

Chapter 24, Verse 32

Even some scholars believe, it is religiously speaking, a forbidden act to reject a faithful suitor, only because he is poor. For instance, the great Shia scholar, Hilli, may he rest in peace, has said: It is obligatory to give a positive response to the faithful suitors, who can afford to pay for his family.

1. Islam has allowed the men to have as much as four wives, on the condition that they can behave justly with all of them. In holy Quran, it is said:

“marry another woman of your choice or two or three or four (who have no children). If you cannot maintain equality with more than one wife, marry only one”

Chapter 4. Verse 3

Issues such as infertility might encourage the men to have more than one wife. Islam has also granted the permission to the men, to have up to four wives, of course on the condition that they can deal with all their wives justly. Moreover, this permission, in its own way, has paved the way to the population growth.

It is believed that the Muslims enjoy three advantages that have tu

ed them into a strong nation and a hard target for the colonialists. These three advantages are: a progressive ideology and culture, the bulk of minerals in Islamic countries, and the large populations of the Islamic countries.

It is needless to say that the practice of polygamy by the men in Islam is one of the most important elements in the large populations of the Islamic countries.

According to the history, a European country had planned to engage in a war; so, this country legalized the practice of polygamy for the men in order to speed up its population growth. This policy helped the country to strengthen its capabilities before the upcoming war. However, this country banned this practice after the war was over.

1. Islam has been supportive to any policy that has guaranteed the public health of its community. On the other hand, Islam has denounced anything that could endanger the health of its community. For instance, Islam encourages the Muslims to take shower every two days and on the other hand, it recommends the Muslims not to keep garbage and wastes during the night in their homes.

These four policies will guarantee the population growth in the Islamic countries. If the young boys and girls marry at their youth and the financial expectations in marriages reduce, meanwhile if the practice of polygamy for the men becomes legalized and the public health becomes a prime conce

, in such conditions, we can witness a rapid population growth in the Islamic countries. However, it is so unfortunate to see that these policies are abandoned by the Muslims themselves.

• Islam’s Policy in Wars and Peace, in the views of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

“Believers, submit yourselves to the will of God as a whole.”

The religion of Islam invites all the believers to peace and reconciliation.

“Believers, submit yourselves to the will of God as a whole. Do not follow the footsteps of Satan; he is your swo

enemy.”

Chapter 2, Verse 208

“If they (the unbelievers) propose peace, accept it and trust in God. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.”

Chapter 8, Verse 61

Unfortunately, the beautiful slogans of peace and reconciliation are often heard from the majority; however, in critical times of war, the only thing that is heard are the deafening noises of bombs and bullets scraping through the hearts of innocents. It becomes even more pathetic and weird, when one witnesses that such false claimers boast their mastership in killing and destruction.

However, Islam treads in the peaceful path which is defined by its holy book, the Quran. All policies of Islam serve to the peaceful purposes described in holy Quran. The historical facts also testify that the newbo

Islamic gove

ment, under the leadership of the holy Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, fended off the confrontations of its enemies and the polytheists in the most peaceful ways. According to the historical evidences, the number of people killed in all of the wars against Islam did not go beyond 1400. This is while that all of these people were the victims of the wars which were triggered by the polytheists and infidels and the Muslims only acted in defense. However, in our today’s world, any military campaign or conflict at least leaves hundreds of thousands of innocent people killed.

The peaceful policies of Islam in wars has stopped this holy religion to start any wars and battles. This is why that all the battles during the life of the holy Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, were defensive wars. In fact, Islam never allowed its adherents to start any war even against the infidels.

Moreover, Islam never authorized night attacks. In the battle of the Chains, the Muslims, under the leadership of Imam Ali, could grasp the element of surprise as they were ready to ambush the enemy at night. But Imam Ali, peace be upon him, did not allow his men to attack the enemy at night and waited until the sunrise.

“and produce sparks, while running during a raid at dawn,”

Chapter 100, Verses 1 & 2

In this holy verse of Quran, God Almighty has also referred to the Muslims’ attack at sunrise; since the Muslims moved their army to the enemy camps at night and arrived to their ambush in the next mo

ing.

In the following, we will discuss a few more hadiths by the holy Prophet of Islam and his pure Household about the policies of Islam in wars. Hopefully, these hadiths will help everyone make a better understanding of the just, humanitarian and benevolent policies of Islam in wars. In opposition, wars and bloodshed, both in the distant memories of the history and in the contemporary ages and regardless of the parties involved in them, have been a resemblance of unrestrained violence and ferocity.

• Honoring the Pacts

In the famous book “Kafi”, Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, is quoted saying: “Whenever the God’s Messenger wanted to dispatch an army to a battle, he would have them all sitting before him and then told them:

In the name of God, with His assistance, in His path and for His messenger, march (to the enemy). Do not betray one another about the spoils. Do not mutilate the enemy. Do not break any pacts. Do not kill the elderly, the children and the women. Do not cut trees unless you have no other option. If any Muslim man, regardless of his rank or position, grants immunity to a polytheist, this person will be immune so that he can hear the words of God; if he followed your path, then, he is your brother in religion but if he rejected your path, he should be taken back to a safe place and you deplore the help of you Lord.”

Islam denounces immoralities and dishonesty in all aspects of life, especially in wartimes; and so, Islam’s policies in war do not comply with our today’s current policies that believe the end justifies the means.

• Military Instructions

In the book “Tuhaful Uqul”, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, wrote a letter to one of his marshals, Ziyad ibn Nazar, while he was sent to the battle of Siffin. Here is the letter written by Imam Ali:

“When you approach an enemy or when he approaches you, make it a point to keep your army on a hilltop or at the foot of a mountain or on the side of a river so that you easily watch the movements of your enemy. Do not involve the whole army in the encounter, allow only a few units to take part in the engagements. If your army is not on a hilltop then post your scouts and guards on high vantage points and along the line of fortification so that the enemy may not take you unawares. Remember that the commanders of an army are its guardians and the eyes of these commanders are the scouts. Try to avoid dissensions and do not cause superiority or inferiority complexes to take root among your officers and in your ranks. Wherever and whenever you camp, make it a point that all of your officers and soldiers camp in the same locality and are provided with the same comforts and conveniences and whenever you march, always march in company formation. If you want to rest during the night draw a circular formation of your lancers round your army and do not let sound sleep overpower you. You must be the guardian of your army, so you must take no more than a nap. Keep acting like this until you face your enemy ranks. Be patient and don’t make haste, unless you find a good opportunity. Don’t ever fight the enemy unless you are attacked by the enemy first or that you receive a letter from me. Peace and God’s mercy be upon you.”

Islam is a path which is set by the Almighty God for His servants; therefore, this holy religion encompasses all aspects of human’s life.

In the aforementioned letter, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, gives series of valuable military instructions to one of his marshals and at the same time, orders him not to be the starter of the war.

However, the only reason the two armies had ranked against each other was a fierce war. So why should any of the armies wait for the other one to start the war?

Mu’awiyah revolted against Imam Ali, who was the legal and legitimate successor of the holy Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him. In fact, he had revolted against the holy Prophet of Islam and the Almighty God. The holy Quran also says:

“If two parties among the believers start to fight against each other, restore peace among them. If one party rebels against the other, fight against the rebellious one until he surrenders to the command of God.”

Chapter 49, Verse 9

Even in the most intense and fierce moments of wars, Islam, this holy religion does not allow the morals and virtues to be ignored. This was only a glance over the policy of Islam in military action.

• No Toxics

The commander of the faithful, Imam Ali has said: “The holy Prophet never allowed Muslims to poison the infidels and the enemy.”

Fourteen centuries ago, the holy Prophet of Islam banned the use of toxics in any battles and conflicts. This ban was also put into practice by the holy Prophet of Islam and his true successors.

However, in our today’s world, although the inte

ational charters ban the use of toxic weapons in wars, we still see the large number of innocent people who fall victim to these prohibited weapons.

In fact, Islam’s perfect policies of war and its adherence to these laws has made this holy religion stand out among all other civilizations in the entire history.

• No to the Killing of Women

According to some narrations, Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, was asked: Why the infidel women are exempted from paying taxes to the Islamic gove

ment? Imam Sadiq replied: The holy Prophet of Islam ordered that the children and women should not be killed in a war, unless they fight against the Muslims. Even in that case, the Prophet ordered the Muslims not to kill the women, so long as they don’t pose any serious threats to the Muslims. So, when the holy Prophet doesn’t allow the Muslims to kill the women in enemy territories, he surely wouldn’t allow that infidel women to be killed in Islamic territories. Now, if the infidel women refrain from paying taxes, they cannot be assaulted or killed, therefore they are exempted from paying taxes to the Islamic gove

ment. However, if the infidel men refrain from paying taxes to the Islamic gove

ment, they have in fact broken their pact; so, they deserve to feel the full force of the law and be killed, as it is permissive to kill the hostile infidel men, in the non-Islamic territories.

All the disabled and poor infidels, as well as the women and children are also exempted from paying the Islamic taxes, since they all are given immunity in wars and battles.

Islam’s exceptional respect to the women stands out among all other definitions of women’s role in other faiths, religions and civilizations; because unlike the dominant definition of the women in our today’s world, Islam does not look at the women as a tool in the hands of the voluptuous or the sex industry.

• Any Muslim Individual Can Grant Immunity to the Nonbelievers

Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, was asked: What did the holy Prophet of Islam mean by saying “their lowest people grant immunity and protection?”

Imam Sadiq answered: When an army of the Muslims surrounds the hostile infidels, if any Muslim individual grants immunity to any infidel person to go and meet the Muslims’ leader and talk to him, then the entire army of the Muslims should respect this pact.

Any Muslim individual, even from the lowest ranks, has so much authority to grant immunity and set up a meeting between a nonbeliever and the Muslims’ leader, while all other Muslims, regardless of their ranks and positions, are obliged to respect the immunity unless there is proof that this is a conspiracy, which poses a serious threat to the Muslims.

With this simple example, one can appreciate that Islam has given the highest value to each and every member of its community ever witnessed in any other faith, community or civilization.

What’s more, the Islamic jurists and scholars believe that even if a Muslim slave, man or woman, grants immunity to a nonbeliever, this pact of immunity should be honored because every Muslim individual is revered due to their faith as “Islam is above everything and nothing is above Islam.”

Muhaqqiq al-Hilli, the great Shia scholar, in his book “Sharia of Islam” states: in this case, there is no difference between the free Muslims or the Muslim slaves.

The author of “Jawahir Al-Kalam”, Sheikh Muhammad Hasan Najafi, has also stated: As endorsed by the great scholar, Allamah Hilli in his book “Al-Muntaha”, in this case (which was whether if the women can grant immunity to the nonbelievers), there is a unilateral agreement among all scholars.

There is also a unanimity among the scholars on this issue, with regards to the Muslim slaves, since the holy Prophet of Islam said: “their lowest people can grant immunity and protection.”

Many successive reports have pinpointed the right of every Muslim individual, regardless of their ranks and gender, to grant immunity to the nonbelievers. Here, we glance over some of these reports.

Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, is quoted saying: Imam Ali, peace be upon him, honored the pace of immunity given by a Muslim slave to a nonbeliever and then, his holiness said: “He is the slave believer who gives shelter and immunity.”

This statement by Imam Ali, peace be upon him, might be an indication to this hadith by the holy Prophet of Islam, who said: “The blood of the believers is equal and their words for immunity should be honored.”

In this case, Imam Ali honored the pact of immunity granted by a Muslim slave, and justified his action by reminding the people of the fact that the slave is a believer and he has every right as others to give immunity to the nonbelievers.

In another narration, Muhammad ibn Hakam quoted Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: (Consider) the Muslims lay siege to a city and the people of the city ask for immunity; now if the Muslims reject this request but the people of the city assume that the Muslims have given them immunity and leave the city, under these circumstances, the people of the city must be given immunity and should not be harmed.

The book “Jawahir Al-Kalam” makes reference to the book “Al-Muntaha” written by the great Shia scholar, Allamah Hilli, as follows:

Um Hani told the holy Prophet of Islam: “Oh the God’s messenger. I have given shelter to my relatives but my brother wants to have them killed.”

The holy Prophet said: The people whom you have given shelter, are safe with you. Any Muslim individual can give immunity to the nonbelievers.

In the book “Jawahir”, it is mentioned that Zaynab, the daughter of the holy Prophet of Islam gave shelter and immunity to Aas ibn Rabi, and the holy Prophet honored her daughter’s words.

• All Believers are Equal

Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, quoted his father who said: I read it in the book of Ali, peace be upon him, that said: the holy Prophet of Islam inscribed an accord among the immigrants, the Ansar and the people of Medina who had joined them. This accord reads:

Warriors should join in the battles in tu

s and based on the principle of equality among the believers. The people under protection shall be treated on the same grounds as their protectors unless they harm others, commit sins, or violate the treaty. The people under protection are respected as the parents of the protector. In all wars for the sake of God, no believer should make peace with the enemy without the knowledge of other believers, unless that they preserve justice and equality.

As it has been witnessed in different lines of the Islamic history, the holy Prophet of Islam strongly emphasizes on equality and justice among all groups of the believers, either the slaves or the free people, the elderly or the youth, and the commanders or the foot soldiers, and in wartime or else.

• The Muslims’ Blood is Equal

In an account, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, narrated that the holy Prophet of Islam made a speech at the mosque of Khaif. In this speech, the holy Prophet said: May God have mercy on the people who hear my words, keep them in their minds and let others know about them as knowledge can reach the knowledgeable even through untaught people. The heart of a Muslim should not betray three things: first it is the purity of intention out of selfless love for God; second, it is honesty, good will and true guidance especially to the Islamic leaders; and finally, it is loyalty to the community and nation.

The Muslims are as brothers, their blood is equal, and all of them, even the ones with lowest ranks, have authority to give protection to the unbelievers. Therefore, if any of the Muslims grants immunity to the nonbelievers and polytheists, their words should be honored.

In this regard, Talha ibn Zaid narrates: I met with Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, and told him that there are two groups of hostile infidels and each of these groups has their own leaders. These two groups fought each other for very long, but finally they made peace. Still, one of those groups violated the peace treaty and signed a pact with the Muslims to help them fight the other infidel party.

Imam Sadiq replied: It is not appropriate for the Muslims to betray, give consent to betrayal or unite with the betrayers. They shall fight the enemy infidels at sight and they have no regards for the treaties among the infidels.

Islam does not differentiate between the lives of the illiterate or the educated, black or white, young or old, wealthy or poor, commander or a foot soldier; honestly, this is one of the exclusive characteristics of Islam which has had no precedent on the face of the earth.

• Fighting Corruption

In response to the questions of Muhammad ibn Sanan, Imam Rida, peace be upon him, wrote these lines:

“The Almighty God has made it forbidden for the Muslims to run from a war against unbelievers. It is a disrespect to the religion and a defiance to the God’s messengers and the just leaders and moreover, it is an infidelity to tu

your back on the Muslims in the battlefields. It is the denial of what Muslims are invited to, which are the belief in the one God, the practice of justice, and the fight against oppression and corruption. It also emboldens the enemy to attack and enslave and slaughter the Muslims, and destroy the religion of God.”

Islam is the religion of purity and honesty and it is obvious that corruption and honesty can never coexist. Therefore, any corruption and dishonesty is strongly forbidden by Islam. It is forbidden for the Muslim warriors to run away from a battle because it edges the religion to destruction, and endangers the lives of the divine leaders of the Muslim community (the holy Prophet of Islam and the infallibles).

• Advice of the Islamic Leaders

The commander of the faithful, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, used to make several recommendations to the Muslims, when he assembled them in wartimes. Here are these recommendations:

First, beware of your prayers and uphold it. Pray much and seek nea

ess to God because prayers are given to the believers on specific occasions. The nonbelievers lea

ed these things and thus they will be asked:

“What led you into hell? They will reply, we did not pray,”

Chapter 74, Verses 42 & 43

The people who upheld prayers in the middle of the nights, they know the real value of prayers. They are the believers whose children and wealth and the o

aments of this world cannot stop them from praying their Lord. The Almighty God states:

“A people, who can neither be diverted by merchandise nor sale from worshipping God, saying their prayers”

Chapter 24, Verse 37

Even though the Almighty God had promised paradise to His messenger, still Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, endeavored hard and said his prayers. It is because the Almighty God told him:

“Instruct your family to pray and be steadfast in your worship.”

Chapter 20, Verse 132

Therefore, the holy Prophet instructed his family to perform prayers and he kept being steadfast in his Lord’s worship.

Second, beware that Zakat tax, alongside prayers, is an obligation that brings the Muslims together. If anyone doesn’t pay the taxes willingly, and still expects to receive something in retu

, such a person is unaware of the traditions of the Prophet of God and has wasted his lifetime. He has disobeyed the very commands of God that purifies the souls of God’s favorite servants and he will be regretful for a long time.

The Almighty God states:

“Whoever gives the Messenger a hard time, even after having received clear guidance, and follows a path other than that of the believers, will be left alone.”

Chapter 4, Verse 115

Third, accomplish all your oaths. Anyone who fails to honor his words or what is trusted with them is at loss. The skies, the big earth, and the high mountains, they all were trusted with an oath and they remained loyal. They didn’t break their oaths because they were afraid of its punishments.

Fourth, know that jihad is the best of acts after embracing Islam. Defending against the unbelievers is the reason for the strength of the religion and there are many rewards for it. It brings dignity and security, and it makes the rewards multifold. It is a passage to paradise, and the martyrs would receive sustenance from their Lord.

“Do not think of those slain for the cause of God as dead.”

Chapter 3, Verse 169

Lastly, fend off any fears that stop you from fighting the people who should be fought because such a fear in fighting ignorance and corruption leads you away from the religion and makes you live your life in humiliation and disgrace. Running from the enemies instigates a fire as the holy Quran states:

“Believers, when you encounter unbelievers on the march do not tu

your backs to them in fight.”

Chapter 8, Verse 15

Thus, uphold the commands of the Lord in these affairs, as it brings you the salvation and redemption in this world and the next. The Almighty God has no fears of what His servants do all days and nights, as God is all-knowing and all-wise. All the acts of the humankind are recorded “with my Lord in the Book. My Lord is free from error and forgetfulness.” Chapter 20, Verse 15

All deeds of humankind, good or bad, are recorded and won’t be forgotten; therefore, uphold the commands of your Lord, preserve patience, move for victory, prepare for the battle and fear only the Almighty God, because:

“God is certainly with the God-fearing and the righteous ones.”

Chapter 16, Verse 52

Each and every one of these recommendations by Imam Ali, peace be upon him, is a sparkling light that points to a world enshrined with knowledge, art, beauty and humanity. These are all an extract of the holy religion of Islam, and the Muslims’ leader, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, is the best person to illuminate on Islam and its far-reaching concepts. Therefore, it is crucial that Muslims give their hearts to these recommendations and put them in practice when they face a hostile army.

• Military Deployment and Trainings

With regards to the military tactics and the deployment of the troops, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, has made the following remarks:

“Leave the on-foot lancers of your army in the first line so that they shoot arrows to the enemy until the two armies engage. Then, have your chosen cavalry keep the banner; if any of the enemy soldiers approached you, you shouldn’t move from your spot. Anyone who saw an opportunity to hit the enemy shouldn’t waste it, and after they were done, they should come back and take their position.

When you wanted to start an attack, you must firstly have your men at the front to engage. If they were defeated, then send in your special forces to their aide. If they were too defeated, the chosen cavalry should march into the battle and the lancers must keep shooting arrows and provide them with back up. In the meantime, station your scouts and watch men in the bushes, to avoid being ambushed. If the enemy raided you, point your spears to them, remain strong and point your lancers to them. Raise your banners and make noise by your shields; send in your men with armors and shields to face the enemy and if they were close to defeat, attack the enemy one by one; don’t move your entire army to the enemy while you’re still under attack by them. If the enemy soldiers didn’t attack you, call them to one-on-one battle and keep your lines and positions. If your defeat was imminent, march to the enemy with full force and don’t let your troops be neither dispersed nor condensed and when you retreated, come back in one whole.”

At the time, when the wars were a depiction of chaos and turmoil, the pure Household of the holy Prophet of Islam gave such detailed guidelines and plans to the Muslims in all different affairs, including wars and confrontations.

• Mental and Military Readiness

Imam Ali, peace be upon him, is also quoted saying:

“If the enemy approached you, line up at the entrances of the trench and keep your lines firm. Hold your swords and don’t look at the enemy in the eyes, don’t let their large number haunt you. Fix your looks at your positions and if you were attacked, kneel and shelter in your shields and hold up your impenetrable lines. If the enemies tu

ed their back, hit them with your swords and if they resisted, you should also keep up your lines. If the enemy was defeated, saddle your horses and put your trust in the Almighty Lord, and chase them away. But if you were defeated, call out to each other and speak the name of God and remember the fate of the people who run from the enemy. If you saw members of your army running away, don’t blame them and gather the banners in one place and have them heisted. Have your cavalry to take back the dispersed members of the army to the camps. When they were taken to the camps and the reinforcements and the runners joined you, send them to their commanders, order their lines and deplore the God’s help, and remain patient.”

The mental and military readiness are the key to winning a battle. This point has been repeatedly emphasized by Islam in different contexts such as the letter by Imam Ali, peace be upon him, who ordered his marshals and commanders to have their armies prepared both mentally and militarily.

• No Revenge in Wars

Hafs ibn Ghiyath narrates that he asked this question from Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him: A hostile enemy converts to Islam while he was living in a hostile territory. Later on, the Muslims conquered the enemies and their lands. How should the new convert be treated?

Imam Sadiq replied: His faith in Islam should give him and his underage children immunity and forgiveness. His children, his slaves and his possessions should not be taken as spoil; but his mature sons, will be captivated unless they have also converted to Islam before their defeat. The lands and the houses, however, are spoils of war because their territory is that of the hostile enemies and it can’t be treated like the Muslims’ lands. These lands can either be annexed to the Islamic territories or otherwise.

Islam proffers justice and truth, and it annuls any urge for vengeance or revenge. Therefore, if a hostile polytheist and a nonbeliever converts to Islam, he and his underage children should not be treated as captives.

The holy Quran also confirms this humanitarian approach and says:

“Do not accuse anyone who claims himself to be a Muslim of disbelief,”

Chapter 4, Verse 94

• Equal Share

It is narrated that Imam Ali, peace be upon him, asked for three of his assistants, Ammar ibn Yassir, Abdullah ibn Abi Rafi, and Abul Heitham ibn Tihan, and ordered them to distribute the surplus of the Public Treasury among the Muslims. Imam Ali told these people:

“Be just and don’t favor anyone over others.”

Those three people calculated the surplus in the Treasury and concluded that each Muslim individual should receive as much as three dinars; so they gave out three dinars to each Muslim individual. Among other Muslims, two famous figures, Talha and Zubayr, along with their sons, went to the Treasury and asked for their share. They each were treated like the rest of the Muslims, and received three dinars.

Talha and Zubayr, in grim voice said:

“Umar didn’t treat us like this. Who told you to distribute the Treasury in this way, is it just you or your boss?”

They answered:

“We have been ordered by the commander of the faithful (Imam Ali).”

Those two famous Muslims went to Imam Ali, peace be upon him, and found him standing by his worker, under the sun shine. They asked Imam Ali to talk to them in the shade.

Talha and Zubayr said:

“We went to your assistants in the Treasury to receive our share, but they treated us like the normal Muslims.”

The Imam asked: “So, what do you want?”

They said: “But Umar didn’t treat us like this.”

Imam Ali replied: “How about the God’s Messenger?” They both fell silent.

Then, Imam Ali continued: “Didn’t the God’s Messenger distribute the Treasury equally among all Muslims?”

They said yes.

The Imam said: “Now, you tell me. Which method is better to follow, the method of the God’s Messenger or that of Umar?”

They said: “Of course, it is the method of the God’s Messenger, but we are among the first Muslims, we suffered a lot for Islam, and we share the same blood with the God’s Messenger. Please don’t treat us like we are typical Muslims.”

Then, the Imam asked them: “Who believed in Islam first, you or me?”

They said: “You did.”

The Imam asked: “Who is closest to the God’s Messenger by blood, you or me?”

They replied: “You are.”

Finally, Imam Ali asked them: “Who did suffer more for Islam, you or me?”

They said: “Oh, the commander of the faithful, you have by far suffered more for Islam.”

Then, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, pointed to his worker and said: “I swear to God that this person and I take an equal share from the Treasury.”

In a lower degree to the holy Prophet of Islam, Imam Ali is the second greatest character of the entire history of humankind.

A weste

philosopher who converted to Islam, explains the reason for his conversion in the following lines:

“The reason I believed in Islam was that I saw, Ali the son of Abu Talib is a Muslim. If Islam was not the right path, then I am sure that a genius like Ali would have never chosen it. So, Ali showed me the way and I was made sure that Islam is the rightful path.”

• Islam is Above All

Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, narrates this story from his father, who also heard this story from his father and so. This story points to an order by the holy Prophet of Islam, when his holiness had surrounded the enemy in the town of Ta’if.

While the enemy were besieged, the holy Prophet of Islam announced: “if a slave comes to us before his master, he or she will be free; but if the master comes to us before his slave does, the slave won’t be free.”

Technically, there is no distinction between the nonbelieving slaves or free men; however, if the slave becomes a Muslim before his master does, then he won’t be a slave anymore because “God will not grant the unbelievers any way over the believers.”

Chapter 4, Verse 141

Moreover, it should be noticed that “Islam is above everything and nothing is above Islam.”

This is why that if a master becomes a Muslim before his slave does so, he will still have authority over his slave.

• Respect for the Messengers

Imam Ali, peace be upon him, is quoted saying: “When you arrest an enemy soldier, who claimed to be carrying a message from his commanders, you don’t have the right to stop him. He shall deliver his message and leave unless you find proofs that his claims are untrue.”

Islam honors the laws of war, and pays respect to the messengers of the polytheists. Islam treated these messengers with respect and honor, and didn’t stop them from delivering their messages.

Islam, as a comprehensive religion honors all humanitarian pacts. In fact, Islam makes efforts to promote humane values in all aspects of life, even in the most brutal moments of war and bloodshed. In the meantime, Islam is not negligent of the plots and conspiracies of the polytheists and their noncompliance to the humanitarian values and tenets. Therefore, Imam Ali emphasized that in case, an enemy soldier claimed to be a messenger, his claims should be investigated.

• The Slogans of Islam

Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, is quoted saying:

Our slogan is “Oh Muhammad, Oh Muhammad.” In the battle of Badr, our slogan was “Come Close, Come Close the Victory of God.” In the battle of Uhud, the Muslims’ slogan was “Come Close the Victory of God.” In the battle of Bani Nazir, the slogan was “Oh, Gabriel, Come (and make us relieved)” In the battle of Banu Qaynuqa, the slogan of the Muslims was “Oh the Lord, Nothing Defeats You.”  In the battle of Ta’eif, the slogan was “Oh Paradise”; in the battle of Hunain, the slogan was “Oh sons of the God’s servants, Oh sons of the God’s servants”; in the battle of the Trench, the slogan was “Enemies won’t Win”; in the battle of Banu Qurayzah, the slogan was “Oh the peaceful God, make them submit”; in the battle of Banu Mustaliq, the slogan was “The Command is that of God”; on the day of Hudaibiyyah, it was “May God curse the oppressors”, in the battle of Khaibar, the slogan was “Oh, Ali bring them down”; on the Conquest of Mecca, the slogan was “We are truly the servants of God,”; in the battle of Tabuk, the Muslims’ slogan was “Oh the one and oh the needless”; in the battle of Banul Maluh, the slogan was “Oh, Victory kill”; in the battle of Siffin, the slogan was “Oh the God’s victory”; Imam Husayn’s slogan was “Oh Muhammad” and this is our slogan too.

It is narrated that Imam Ali, peace be upon him, said:

“The messenger of God ordered the Muslims to chant their slogans before the war and he said: mention the name of God in all of your slogans.”

Slogans are an essential and indispensable part of any society that wants to lead its next generations towards the summits of prosperity and virtue. A slogan is a manifestation of the pains and the ideals of the nations, which passes down from one generation to the next. The slogans throw light on the path and the fate of nations, giving them enough weight and insight to make their stances on inte

al and foreign matters. Therefore, Islam includes the name of God is its slogans in order to beseech to the Almighty and Merciful Lord.

• Respecting the Elders

It is narrated that when the Persian captives were brought to the holy city of Medina, Umar ibn Khattab ordered the women to be sold and the men to be taken to work.

The commander of the faithful, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, objected: Have you not heard the God’s messenger, who used to say the elders of any nation should be respected?

Umar nodded and said: Yes, I have heard the God’s messenger said: When the elders and chiefs of a people came to you, show them respect even if they have different beliefs.

Then, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, continued: These people have shown their interest in Islam in front of you; now, I take God and you as my witness and I free these captives on my behalf.

Other Muslims also repeated the words of Imam Ali and said: We also relinquish all our rights on the captives and leave it to you, Oh the brother of the Prophet.

Then, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, said: Oh, Lord. I testify that I was given the right over these captives by all the Muslims, and I take You as my witness that I free all of them for Your sake.

However, Umar strongly objected and said: How dare you ignore my command for these captives? How dare you disagree with me?

Once again, Imam Ali reminded Umar of the words of the holy Prophet of Islam.

Umar, who knew he can’t do anything else, also declared: I also relinquish my own rights and the rights or others over these captives and leave it to Ali for the sake of God.

Then, Imam Ali asked everyone there to testify that he has set free all of these captives for the sake of God Almighty.

A few people from the Quraysh expressed their willingness to marry the Persian women, but Imam Ali told them: You can’t force them to marry you, and they should be given a choice whether to accept or reject.

• Islam, the Religion of Mercy

In many successive narrations, it has been stated that “Is religion anything except for loving for God and hating for God?” These standards and moral traits were the distinct qualities of Islam that enabled this holy religion to overwhelm the entire world both politically and intellectually.

The historians believe: The spread of Islam and its growth happened in such a rapid pace which is unique in the entire history.

However, the main cause for today’s poor conditions of the Muslims, and reason for them lagging behind is their inability to express and practice the Islamic mercy and love in their societies. In the meantime, several groups of the non-Muslims have also tried to introduce Islam as a violent, strict and merciless code of laws so that they can unite the world against the Muslims and put them under pressure.

It is very well-said that Islam is a precious gem, which is veiled by the Muslims themselves.

If the Muslims represent the God’s Messenger and his pure Household as they really are, there is no doubt that floods of people will rush to Islam. The majority of have no ill intentions towards the truth and reality, but they are being kept in the dark about Islam. Therefore, if this majority of the people lea

about the truth, they will surely embrace it with open arms.

This was only a piece of the words and instruction of the holy Prophet of Islam and his pure Household, who have left us many invaluable guidelines on the different aspects of war and military action. All the contents, regarding the Islamic codes of war in this writing, are referenced to the two precious books of “Wasaeil Al-Shia” and “Mustadrakul Wasaeil.” It is noteworthy that these two books alone, present numerous hadiths by the holy Prophet of Islam and his Household on many more topics which need to be compiled and published.

• Scholars and Politics, in the views of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, states: “The enforcement of the rule of law is in the hands of the scholars, as they are trusted by God with what is forbidden and what is not.”

In the preceding centuries, the scholars have treaded the path to the reformation of the Muslim community, which is the same path of the God’s Messenger and his pure Household, peace be upon them. This is why that the scholars never alienated themselves from the matters of gove

ance and the politics.

The scholars are given the responsibility to keep watch on the rulers and kings and admonish them when they make a mistake or act against the public good. In addition to that, the scholars should stand up in the face of corrupt and oppressive rulers who insist on their mischievous and treacherous acts despite being admonished and advised. Therefore, it was customary that whenever a ruler was derailed from the path of righteousness, the scholars told them about their mistakes and if it didn’t work out, these scholars stopped sanctioning the rulers and tried to stop them.

In this regard, the history can show us the large number of scholars who were either expelled from their homes, imprisoned, tortured, or brutally executed and bu

ed alive. Many scholars were lynched, murdered, and skinned off by the very oppressive rulers who saw these scholars as a threat to their thrones and illegitimate agendas.

In the long history of Islam, the Muslim scholars always risked their lives to invite the rulers to justice and do good and keep away from doing evil and their lusts. The great Shia scholar, Allamah Amini, in his book named “Shuhada Al-Fazilah”, mentions the name of many of scholars who faced martyrdom for their bravery and perseverance in protecting the religion of Islam against the corrupt and oppressive rulers since the fourth century AH until now.

The following lines are dedicated to some of the great names in the history of Shia Islamic scholars who rose against the anti-Islam policies and fought corruption and dishonesty with their lives. It also should be noticed that all the sacrifices by the Shia scholars tell us that the politics is one of the principles of the religion of Islam.

• The Fights of Great Islamic Scholars
• Sayyid Muhammad Mujahid: He left Iraq and traveled to Iran so that he could stop the invasions of Russia, which had plans to annihilate the religion of Islam and colonize the Islamic countries.
• Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Shirazi: Also known as the Great Reviver, Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Shirazi cleverly undid the efforts of the British colonialists who wanted to colonize the Islamic Iran, under the pretext of Tobacco concession. After the famous verdict by this great scholar, the British colonialism suffered a big blow and eventually had to retreat from Iran.
• Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Shirazi: This great man commanded the people of Iraq to rise against the British colonialists, who wanted to overrun Iraq. Following the order of this great scholar, the people of Iraq ranked against the British invaders and left a glorious mark in the history, known as the revolution of 1920.
• Awhile after the 1920 revolution, the prominent scholars in the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf rose against the illegitimate parliament of Iraq which was in fact a puppet controlled by the British. This move created a national outcry against the Iraqi parliament and resulted in the exile of many great scholars such as Sayyid Abul Hasan Isfahani, Mirza Husayn Na’ini, Sayyid Mirza Ali Shahrestani, and Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Ali Tabatabaei.
• Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Husayn Qomi: This great scholar established a strong resistance against the British colonialists and their puppet, the first Pahlavi, Reza Shah, who had undermined all Islamic values and was trying to have them replaced with corrupt ideologies and apostasy. This scholar was later banished to Iraq by the Shah of Iran. However, after the second Pahlavi ascended to the throne, Sayyid Husayn Qomi retu

  ed to Iran and convinced the new Shah to stop the anti-Islamic policies of his father. After this great accomplishment, this great scholar retu

  ed to Iraq.

• The religious scholar, Sayyid Abdul Husayn Sharaf Al-Din: This great scholar stood up against the French colonialism in Lebanon and issued a fatwa against them. The resistance of this scholar resulted in his exile to Egypt where he survived attempts of his murder. Unfortunately, the house and the big library of this great scholar was set on fire and the world of Islam was denied from the bulk of precious books in this library.
• Sayyid Husayn Borujerdi: He lived at the time of the first Pahlavi and endangered his life to resist against the brutal Shah of Iran.
• In the reign of Abdul Karim Qasim in Iraq, communism, apostasy, and blasphemy had shadowed the entire Iraq. Therefore, many great Shia scholars of the time rose against these anti-Islamic policies. Many of these scholars were martyred, imprisoned or exiled.
• The religious scholars in Iran staged a strong resistance against the two Pahlavi Shahs of Iran and finally, they ended their reign in this country.
• The religious scholars in Iraq fought against the communist policies and destroyed their foundations and intimidating strategies in Iraq.
• Directives by Grand Ayatollah Shirazi regarding Politics

The holy Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, stated:

“You all are accountable and responsible for your subordinates.”

If we define politics as a systematic effort to promote the welfare and culture of the public, everyone can agree that not only the scholars, but also all groups of any society should take responsibility for this collective duty. In fact, the entire Muslim populace is responsible to fight any deviation and corruption in the Islamic society or they will face justice on the Judgment Day. The holy Prophet of Islam has also emphasized that every individual is responsible for their subordinates. It means that all Muslims have duties regarding each other and in this subject, there is no distinction between the rulers and the peasants, the scholars or the uneducated, the men and women, or the wealthy and the poor.

The early Muslims had watered the tree of Islam and the newly-bo

Islamic gove

ment with their strong dedication and faith; this group of Muslims, with all their power, protected the genuine Islamic values and stopped any corruption and deviation. The history also confirms the strong urge in the early Muslims, who defended the sanctities and fought anti-Islamic traditions.

According to the history, once a Muslim man, after seeing the gambling tools in the hands of someone in the streets, asked: “Whose are these?”

That person answered: “It belongs to the gove

or.”

That Muslim person, without any hesitation, took those gambling tools and broke them and said: “Gambling is forbidden; I am a Muslim and I have the duty to break anything associated with it and I don’t care even if it belongs to the gove

or.”

Similarly, when the Umayyad ruler, Walid ripped up the holy Quran, the Muslims surrounded his house and broke in. Finally, the Umayyad ruler, Walid was killed, beheaded and hanged with a writing on his body that said: “This is the punishment of a person who ripped up the Quran.” It is while that Walid was a powerful ruler, whose empire outreached almost half the globe.

Also, when a Muslim confronted some camels carrying water skins filled with wine, he quickly ripped off all those water skins and poured the wine on the ground. When he was told that the wine belonged to the brutal ruler, Mu’awiyah, the man, without any sign of intimidation, said: “I don’t care.”

However, as the time went by, the Muslims lost sight of their social responsibilities and saw their temporary ease in sitting in their houses and closing their eyes to what was happening in the Islamic countries. As a result, miseries and agonies surrounded the Islamic nations and soon, they fell victim to colonialism by weste

and easte

powers.

Fortunately, the Muslim nations are now gradually waking up from this rather long sleep; and if they become successful in their efforts, they will have their dignity, honor and prosperity restored back to them. The main principle for progress, honor, dignity and prosperity is awareness and ste

faith in the God. In a holy hadith, it is also said: “A scholar wary of time will not be struck with miseries and afflictions.”

Therefore, we deplore to the Almighty Lord to help the Muslim nations wake up and establish this awareness so much deep as they can in their societies. Hopefully, if the Muslims do away with this deep sleep, they will be able to fight back corruption and oppression in the entire globe and this is never far to be achieved.

*********************

Activities and Services by

Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

The Grand Ayatollah Shirazi runs and supervises several social, cultural, charitable, religious, scientific, and educational projects on a daily basis. These projects are meant to address the needs of all groups of the society and help them in different stages of their lives. Mostly, these activities are made available to the public in the form of schools, Islamic centers, universities, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, technical workshops, specialized conferences, and charitable and social institutions.

• Shia Rights Watch Organization

As mentioned earlier in previous sections, the orders of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi for defending the rights of the Shia Muslims resulted in the foundation of a human rights organization named Shia Rights Watch, headquartered in Washington DC, the US.

Shortly after its foundation, Shia Rights Watch and its programs for promoting the public awareness about the religious and civil rights of the Shia Muslims received admirations and praises by Shia religious activists and legal experts in European countries and the US.

• The Foundation of Shia TV Channels

In our today’s world, no one can deny the significant role of the media and its strong influence over the public opinion and beliefs. However, it is so unfortunate to see that the mainstream media has tu

ed into a propaganda machine that fuels anti-Islamic emotions and preaches immoralities and satanic concepts. In fact, the media serves to the annihilation of virtues and ethics and in the meantime, it tries to replace the moralities and spirituality with downgraded materialism.

This is why that the absence of genuine Islamic teachings and the Shia culture are felt more than ever in the media conceptualizations. At the moment, there are numerous famous TV Channels that operate in different parts of the world, however, one can easily feel the absence of proper media work that introduces the true message of Islam and the culture of the holy Prophet of Islam and his pure Household to the entire world.

The need for media work was in fact, an old time conce

of the late Shia Islamic jurist and scholar, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Shirazi who always insisted on using the state-of-the-art technology to introduce the real Islam to the world. His eminence used to say: “Inte

et and the social media networks are the miracle of our age only if we use it to introduce the real Islamic concepts, such as the holy Quran and the noble and genuine hadiths of the holy Prophet of Islam and the pure Household, peace be upon them. If we fail in this way, we will have to await justice in the hereafter.” His eminence always insisted that the Shia Muslims need to have their independent TV Channels in order to pursue their activities through media outlets; but this goal was never achieved during the lifetime of this great Shia scholar.

After the departure of the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Shirazi, his brother the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi continued this path and encouraged the Shia Muslims to establish their own TV Channels. Gradually, the young Shia Muslims and the believers joined their efforts and actualized this old wish of the late Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Shirazi. At this point in time, there are several Shia TV Channels operating in the different languages of Persian, Arabic, English and Turkish.

Here is a list of some of these TV Channels:

• Imam Hussein TV in Persian and English
• Salaam TV in Persian, English, and Arabic
• Salaam TV 2 in Persian and Turkish
• Zahra TV in Arabic, English and Turkish
• Ch4teen TV in Arabic
• Al-Anwar TV in Arabic
• Al-Anwar TV 2 in Arabic
• Al-Mahdi TV in Arabic, English and Turkish
• Anwar al-Hussain TV in English
• Ch4teen TV in Arabic
• Marjaeyat TV in Persian, Arabic, and English

These TV Channels stream a variety of programs about the Islamic beliefs, Islamic ethics, faith, and the Shia ideology. The directors of these Shia Television Networks, which are the first of their kind, is to further the thoughts and culture of the holy Quran, the holy Prophet of Islam and his pure Household, peace be upon them.

• Direct Order for the Foundation of Imam Hussein TV Channel

The Grand Islamic jurist, Ayatollah Shirazi stated: Only God knows that how seriously the enemies of the pure AhlulBayt work day and night to manipulate the minds of the people and tu

them against the pure Household of the holy Prophet of Islam, especially Imam Husayn and Lady Fatima Zahra, peace be upon them.

Now, it is important that the believers, so much as they can help or contribute, they should establish a TV satellite Channel with the name of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, introducing this great character by producing programs and streaming them in a vast coverage to the entire world. Obviously, it is not a one man’s job, therefore, all the dear believers should join efforts so that next year by now, this TV Channel starts working.

• The Foundation of a TV Channel Exclusively about Hazrat Abbas

In his meeting with the cultural directors of the shrines of Imam Husayn and Hazrat Abbas, peace be upon them, the great Shia Islamic authority and jurist, Ayatollah Shirazi emphasized on the need for the establishment of a new TV Channel exclusively about the great character of Hazrat Abbas, and the programs of this shrine.

The Grand Jurist further stated: Our situation today is very different from the past. In the past, if a person dared speak about the virtues of the pure Household, they would have been killed; but today, the situation has changed and there are partial freedoms. So try to establish a TV Channel exclusively about Hazrat Abbas, peace be upon him.

The Grand jurist also added: Once a media activist told me that there are three thousand Satellite TVs operating at the moment. Many of these TV Channels belong to certain people, and these TV Channels broadcast programs about these people. None of those people can ever match the great character of Hazrat Abbas, peace be upon him; moreover, Hazrat Abbas is a great and universal character who can change the lives of the people, both in this world and the next, for the better. If the public gets to know Hazrat Abbas, many of them will be attracted to the light of guidance. For this reason, it is really important to establish and run a TV Channel exclusively for transmitting the messages of real Islam through the great character of Hazrat Abbas, peace be upon him.

• The need for TV networks to introduce Imam Kazim and Imam Jawad

While hosting some members of the board of the shrine of Imam Kazim and Imam Jawad, the Grand Islamic leader and jurist, Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi emphasized on the need for TV Satellite Channels that produce and stream programs about Imam Kazim and Imam Jawad, peace be upon them.

His eminence, after greeting his guests, stated: The cultural and media works should never be taken lightly, because they can raise the public awareness and lead the society to the right path; the establishment of a TV Channel with the name of Imam Kazim and Imam Jawad, peace be upon them, is a good frame for these cultural and media works.

There are many lovers of the AhlulBayt, both in Iraq and abroad, Arab or non-Arab, and they are living in long distances from the sacred shrine of Imam Kazim and Imam Jawad, peace be upon them; all these people should receive the messages and teachings of these two noble Imams.

Furthermore, the Grand Jurist said: Who else can take this responsibility and actualize it? It is you who should grasp this great honor before anyone else does so.

His eminence also emphasized: The pure Household of the Prophet are the source of all light and blessings, their moral code is exceptional, and however, our world today is completely unaware of these things. In contrast, we witness that hundreds of TV satellite channels, which are affiliated and sponsored by deviant and heretic cults, work day and night to mislead the people. Therefore, it is really important that there should be several TV channels established to introduce to the world the real face of Islam, through the thoughts and morals of the holy Prophet of Islam and his pure Household.

With regards to the significance of introducing the thoughts and culture of the pure Household, and its impacts on the reformation of societies, the Grand Jurist Ayatollah Shirazi said:

Almost forty years ago in holy Karbala, I read that one of the scholars of Al-Azhar University in Egypt converted to Shia Islam. To explain the reason for his conversion, that scholar referred to a sentence quoted from Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him; the sentence was:

“Oh, God. At times when there is need for quick and serious action, make me seek help only from you.”

He believed that this very sentence opened up new horizons before his sight, and he converted to Shia Islam after continuing his studies and researches.

The Grand Jurist Ayatollah Shirazi kept on: So, you can see that even if you can broadcast one single sentence from Imam Kazim or Imam Jawad, peace be upon them, you might have revolutionized a nation or a group of people, showing them the path to salvation. Therefore, you should make the necessary arrangements and establish a TV Channel.

• Global TV Channels

When hosting some members of Imam Hussein TV, the Grand Islamic jurist Ayatollah Shirazi stated: “Sometimes, people do things that have no significant results, however, there are still people who do things that leave behind great and big results. It is like the person who lectures a handful of people, but the other person lectures millions instead.

It is the case with a TV Channel as it can be the means by which we speak to millions. Of course, there are hardships in this way but we can overcome them by hard work, patience and wise strategies. Everyone will have a share of success in this path, in accordance with their pure love for Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

• A New Move for the Globalization of the Shia Culture

In 1432 AH, and following the orders of the Grand Jurist Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi, the two online Television Networks of Al-Zahra and Al-Mahdi started streaming their programs, on the birth anniversary of Lady Fatima, peace be upon her.

The webpage of these two online TV channels lead the viewers to the live streaming of these two TV networks, the archive of the programs with different qualities and subtitles, and other features.

Al-Zahra TV is an independent inte

et TV which produces and broadcasts programs about the pure Household of the holy Prophet of Islam and the Shia culture. Following the orders of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi about the significant need for establishing a Shia TV channel in 2005, Al-Zahra TV was the second Satellite Television that produced programs to introduce the culture of Shia Islam in different languages of Arabic, Persian, English, and Turkish.

With considerations to the orders and guidelines of the eminent Islamic jurist, Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi, some religious and media activists put into practice the long-awaited wishes of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi and launched the Shia TV Channel of Al-Mahdi in 2007. Al-Mahdi TV was began its programs in Arabic on Nile satellite.

At the moment, this Shia TV channel has taken big steps to globalize the Shia culture and introduce the real Islam to its large number of viewers. Al-Mahdi TV broadcasts its programs in the two languages of Arabic and Persian.

*****************

Final Section pages 521-578

The Statement by Grand Ayatollah Shirazi on Ashura Day 1428 AH,

29 January 2007

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise belongs to the Lord of the worlds, and God’s peace be upon our master and leader, Muhammad Mustafa and his pure Household; and damned be their enemies until the dooms day.

With his great sacrifice, Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, marked the path of virtue, forgiveness, and the lofty ideals of Islamic morals and beliefs for the entire humanity along the history. Imam Husayn clarifies on these ideals in the letter he wrote to his brother, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah:

“This movement of mine is not on account of stubbo

ness, rebellion, worldly passions or instigation by Satan. It is also not my object to create trouble or to oppress anyone. The only thing which invites me to this great movement is that I should reform the affairs of the followers of my grandfather,”

The reformation of the affairs of the Muslims is the very strong cause for which Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, stepped into the land of Karbala and sacrificed the pure blood of his family, his companions and himself. It was this significant cause for which Imam Husayn’s children and family were captivated by the brutal enemy; the very family whose renown is for their piety, devotion and intimacy with the messenger of Islam.

This reformative movement by Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, showed the path of righteousness to the entire Muslim nation along the history. This was the path which was firstly taken up by the God’s messenger, but was later smudged and blocked by the Umayyad oppressive rulers. The uprising of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, confronted the illegitimate domination of two corrupt dynasties of the Umayyad and Marwanids over the Muslim nation and this uprising, with its so many sacrifices, brought down the foundations of these two oppressive dynasties one by one. By the fall of these corrupt rulers, their name and reputation was either forgotten or remembered with disgrace and there are many evidences to confirm this claim:

For example, it is narrated that one of the descendants of the Marwanid rulers, Sa’d ibn Abdul Malik ibn Abdul Aziz ibn Marwan, was sobbing like the mou

ing women. When he was asked why he is crying, he answered: “Why should I not cry since I am from a tree which is cursed in the Quran?”

The successful movement of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, has outlived the history; obliviously, it was the God’s will who realized such a great success only by the hands of the master of the martyrs, Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, even though there were greater people, like the holy Prophet of Islam, Imam Ali, Imam Hasan and Lady Fatima, peace be upon them all.

The blood of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, has been time and again remembered by many different holy Imams and Infallibles. He is the only Infallible Imam who was chosen by God Almighty to redirect the derailed train of Islam to its right course. Imam Husayn, with his illuminating and instructive words and uprising, exposed the ugly face of tyranny to the Muslim nation and the history.

If it weren’t for the big sacrifice of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, Yazid and his subordinates would have certainly changed the real course of Islam and destroyed all traditions and legacies of the holy Prophet of Islam.

It was the uprising of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, which uncovered the real face of brutal and cruel rulers such as Hajjaj, who killed and tortured tens of thousands of people and at the same time, delivered sensational and impressive lectures to the public. It was this illuminating uprising which showed the real face of people like Saladin Ayoubi. He was the person who besieged the Shia Muslims and the adherents of the pure Household in their cities. He was the one who massacred the Shia women, children and the elderly with no mercy.

If it wasn’t for this monumental and epic uprising, the line between truth and falsehood would have been so much blurred that even the atrocities by Marwanids, the Abbasid, and the Ottomans could have been labelled as Islamic practices.

Even in this recent age, which is most famous for its extensive developments and freedoms, it was only Imam Husayn, who could expose the brutal and savage nature of the Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein. He was the person who displaced millions of the oppressed nation of Iraq and tortured thousands of innocents. He was the one who plundered the wealth of Iraq and used it to satisfy his evil desires and ambitions.

And so, Imam Husayn will remain like a candle that throws its light on the path of the entire humanity, depicting the reality of the holy religion of Islam and showing the way to goodness and virtue.

Therefore, it is no wonder to see that all brutal and oppressive dictators, in the entire course of the history, have fought against the legacies of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, and tried to stop the people from remembering the sacrifices and slogans of this holy leader. The oppressive dictators could well see the danger in the message of the uprising of Imam Husayn, and so they tried hard to wipe out the name of Imam Husayn from the memories, by demolishing the sacred sites relating to his holiness, killing thousands of women and men who commemorated Imam Husayn’s memory and mocking the exceptional uprising and the rites of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

Despite all these desperate attempts, the holy Prophet of Islam announced it publically that not only God Almighty will never let this candle go out, but also this candle, by God’s blessings, will shine more and more.

The God’s messenger stated: “The disbelievers and the misleading parties will make attempts to kill the light of Imam Husayn, but the more they try, the more this light will shine.”

In our time, the Iraqi monarchy killed and tortured many people in order to stop them from visiting the gravesite of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him; however, today, there are millions of people, men and women, all in large groups, who walk their way to the holy city of Karbala in Iraq to pay their tribute to this holy Imam, regardless of the hot sun or the cold weather. According to the narrations, every step of a pilgrim in this path is rewarded in same manners of those doing pilgrimage in Hajj and Umrah.

I humbly ask the Almighty God to have us blessed by Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, and bring to an end the oppressions and injustice across the world, especially in Iraq.

I beseech the Almighty Lord to hasten the advent of Imam Mahdi, the remarkable descendant of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, and shower His everlasting mercy upon all humankind and the believers so that reformation and prosperity reaches out to the entire world.

Success is all from God and though I rely on Him alone.

Sadiq Shirazi

Muharram 2^nd, 1428 AH/ 21 January 2007

• The Condemnation of Desecrating the Holy Quran

At a gathering of Islamic scholars, Seminary teachers and the public groups of people, the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi strongly condemned the desecration of the holy Quran and stated: “Desecration of the holy Quran is an affront to the entire Islamic sanctities.”

His eminence also added: “Disrespecting the holy Quran is the flicker of a fire, whose flames might bu

the guilty and the innocent together. It is never unknown to the public that there are evil and covert plans to create division, tension and instability among the Muslims that serve to the realization of colonial plots and intrigues.

In the end, the Grand Shia Islamic Jurist, Ayatollah Shirazi underscored the responsibility of the entire world and the popular figures and said: “All gove

ments and the influential role players should take control of this heated situation, before the scopes of this heinous crime gets out of control.”

• The Statement of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi’s Office on the Martyrdom of Shia Pilgrims in Baghdad and Hillah

Following a cowardly attack by the Takfiri, Wahhabi and Baath terrorists, hundreds of walking pilgrims, who were intended to visit the sacred shrine of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, were severely wounded or martyred. In the wake of this heartbreaking incident, the Office of the Grand Islamic Jurist, Ayatollah Shirazi published a statement on 07 March 2007, coinciding with Safar 17, 1428 AH, and condemned this vicious act in the strongest terms. Furthermore, this statement asked the believers to ignore these attacks and don’t let such inhumane terrorist movements slow down the growth of religious rites of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

The script of this statement is as follows:

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The Grand Islamic Jurist Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi strongly condemns the recent terrorist attack, which led to the martyrdom and the injury of hundreds of Shia pilgrims who were marching to join the annual Arbaeen pilgrimage. His eminence prayed to the Almighty God to spread His vast mercy unto the martyrs in this incident and join them with their master, Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, in the hereafter. The Grand Jurist also prayed for the quick recovery of the wounded and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of these pilgrims, wishing them patience and rewards. Furthermore, the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi hoped that Imam Mahdi, may God hasten his advent, gives his special attentions to all Shia Muslims.

Additionally, the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi requested the believers to take necessary security measures and ignore the terrorists, and then organize the religious rites of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, with more power than previous years. In this subject Lady Zaynab, peace be upon her, states: “God Almighty has chosen a people to keep alive the memory of Imam Husayn and other martyrs in the land of Karbala so that time doesn’t wear out this great tragedy. Even though the disbelievers and the misleading parties attempt to wipe out the memories of this tragedy but it gets more vivid and bright with every day that passes.”

The Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

Holy Qom, Iran

• Grand Ayatollah Shirazi Office Makes Statement to Condemn the Massacre at Imam Ali Mosque in Zahedan, Iran

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

A terrorist attack at the Shia mosque of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, led to the martyrdom and injury of a large number of Shia Muslims and worshippers in the city of Zahedan, Iran. Following this incident, the Office of the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi in holy Qom made a statement on Monday, 1 June 2009, and condemned this terrorist attack.

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise belongs to the Lord of the worlds, and God’s peace be upon our master and leader, Muhammad Mustafa and his pure Household; and damned be their enemies until the dooms day.

The Grand Shia Islamic Jurist, Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi strongly condemns the killing of many believing worshippers in a terrorist attack on the Shia Mosque of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, in the city of Zahedan, Iran.

His eminence referred to this unspeakable crime and said: “The terrorists hold animosity towards the Shia Muslims for having a strong belief in the Almighty God and the two legacies of the holy Prophet of Islam, his pure Household and the book of God, as the Household of the holy Prophet are his rightful successors.

The Grand Jurist, also demanded the followers of other Islamic sects and their religious and scientific institutions to educate their people and destroy the grounds for extremism, Takfir, and violence.

Furthermore, in order to sympathize with the families of the martyrs and the injured Shia Muslims, the Grand Jurist Ayatollah Shirazi condemned this terrorist attack and cancelled his courses of Advanced Jurisprudence on Monday. His eminence also prayed God’s mercy for those martyred in this incident, hoped patience for the families of these martyrs and wished a quick recovery for the injured in this incident.

Verily, we are from Allah, and to Him we shall retu

June 1^st, 2009

The Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

• Grand Ayatollah Shirazi’s Office in Holy Karbala Condemns Terrorist Attack on a Church

A terrorist attack on a church in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad left 52 killed and 73 others injured. Following this incident, the Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi in holy Karbala, in a statement, condemned this heinous crime and held the Iraqi security authorities responsible for protecting the civilians’ lives against such brutal attacks.

The script of this statement comes as follows:

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise belongs to the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, the best of mankind, and his pure and clean family.

The Almighty God declares: “Allah does not forbid you to be kind and to act justly to those who have neither made war on your Religion nor expelled you from your homes. Allah loves the just.” Quran 60; 08

The indiscriminate killings and the disregard of terrorists for all religious teachings and the sacred traditions have unveiled the ugly and inhume face of this phenomenon more than ever before, and the terrorist attack on a Christian church in Baghdad, which left 52 dead and 73 wounded, is a proof to this claim.

The Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi in the holy city of Karbala condemns this inhumane and cowardly attack and demands the Iraqi security officials to restore security to this country and bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice.

“Do not think that Allah is unaware of the harm doers’ work.” Quran 14; 42

November 1^st, 2010

The Office of the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi in holy Karbala, Iraq

• Grand Ayatollah Shirazi Office in Holy Karbala Condemns Massacres by Takfiri Terrorists

The Office of the Grand Jurist, Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi vehemently condemned the killing of tens of defenseless and innocent pilgrims of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, by the Takfiri terrorists. This Office also demanded the security officials to provide safe passage to the pilgrims of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

Here is the translation of this statement:

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise belongs to the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, the best of humankind, and his pure and clean family.

The Almighty God announces: “Indeed, the righteous shall (live) in bliss. But the wicked, indeed they shall be in the Fiery Fu

ace,” Holy Quran 82; 13-14

The blood-stained hands of Wahhabism and the remnants of the Baath brutes have once again blew into the flames of ignorance and renewed the old rancor of their ancestor, Yazid.

Several believing people, who were educated at the schools of the AhlulBayt, peace be upon them, without being charged with any crimes, were brutally killed or injured.

Regardless of these horrendous crimes by the enemies of God, Islam and the humanity, the strength, resistance and the determination of the followers of the pure AhlulBayt and Imam Husayn, peace be upon them, increase at any moment and the Shias become more and more avid to step in the same path of their leader, Imam Husayn, peace be upon him. The increasing number of the pilgrims of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, from all over Iraq and even other countries is the best proof to this claim.

The officials and members of the Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi in holy Karbala condemn these appalling crimes and demand the Iraqi authorities to provide the Shia pilgrims with safe passage during their rituals. In addition, this Office believes that in response to the violent and Takfiri ideologies, there needs to be widespread ideological movements sanctioned by wise attitudes and approaches.

Furthermore, all religious groups and gatherings should continue all their activities to uphold the memory and the name of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, and take all precautions and have full cooperation with the security officials and the law enforcement.

In the end, we deplore to the Almighty God to show His mercy to the martyrs in these incidents and have them by the side of their master, Imam Husayn, peace be upon him. We also pray for the families of these martyrs to have patience and wish a quick recovery for the people, who were wounded in these bloody attacks. May we all be under the attentions of Imam Mahdi, may God hasten his reappearance.

January 22, 2011

The Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

Holy Karbala

• Statement by Grand Ayatollah Shirazi Office Following the Terrorist Attack in Tal Afar, Iraq

On March 27, 2007, a terrorist attack carried out by the Wahhabi and Baath agents at least killed tens of people and left hundreds of Shia Muslims severely wounded. Following this cowardly attack in the town of Tal Afar in Iraq, the Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi made a statement and condemned the brutal killing of the innocent Iraqis and demanded the inte

ational foundations to pass laws and and force all countries to eliminate Takfiri and violent ideologies from their educational materials.

The text of the statement is as follows:

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

“We are from God, and to Him we shall retu

.”

On Tuesday, March 27, 2007, terrorist attacks killed tens of people, including women, children and the elderly, and left hundreds of others wounded, and many houses destroyed while families were inside. Following this heartbreaking massacre, the Grand Shia Islamic Jurist Ayatollah Shirazi condemns this terrorist attack, because the Shia Muslims are being targeted by the Takfiri terrorists for their beliefs in Allah Almighty, Prophet Muhammad and his noble and pure Household.

In this regard, a few topics should be noticed:

• The gove

  mental organizations responsible for the families of the Iraqi martyrs should use all their potentials and increase their budgets in order to level up their services and provide the families of the victims of these terrorist attacks with their needs.

• Terrorism should be combated in all arenas and their ideological foundations should be eliminated. Therefore, it is advised that the inte

  ational foundations pass laws and oblige all gove

  ments to remove Takfiri ideology from their school textbooks. This act will hopefully prevent the next generations to be usurped by Takfiri and extremist currents.

The gove

ments offering political and ideological supports to the terrorists and extremists should know that it would soon that they will become the victims of their illegitimate sons, because the God’s promise is never mistaken: “the evil plots will afflict no one but its authors,”

Narrations also point to the same idea: “if a person aids an oppressor, he will be dominated by that oppressor.”

• All religious institutions and foundations should join efforts and expose the true face of Takfiri and radical ideologies and know that the threats of such ideologies will backfire at them. Therefore, they all should take back their place at the universities and schools from the Takfiri preachers.

In conclusion, we call out to God, by the name of His beloved messenger, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and our savior, Imam Mahdi, may God hasten his reappearance. We also pray for the victims of these terrorist attacks to be included in God’s vast mercy, beg patience for their families and wish a quick recovery for the wounded.

God is near and responder.

• Statement by Imam Shirazi World Foundation over the Incidents in Bahrain

Following wide protests in Bahrain which was responded by gove

mental crackdowns, many Bahraini civilians and Shia Muslims were killed and injured. In the light of this event, Imam Shirazi World Foundation made a statement.

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise belongs to the Lord of the words, and peace and blessings be upon the greatest of messengers, Prophet Muhammad and his pure Household.

“Give glad news to the people who have patience, who, in adversity say: ‘We belong to Allah and to Him we shall retu

.” Quran 2; 155-156

In the wake of the current situations in the Muslim world, all believers are religiously obligated to have accountability and cooperation in order to repel oppression and protect the lives and properties of the oppressed people to achieve their legitimate rights.

For that reason and considering the latest developments in Bahrain and some other Islamic countries, we extend our heartfelt condolences over the martyrdom of Bahraini civilians and share this grief with their families. We also ask the Bahraini gove

ment to listen to the demands of its citizens and stop using force and violence against its own people because violence will deepen tensions and tu

s peaceful demonstrations into turmoil and disorder.

We also ask the Bahraini gove

ment to do away with violence and help realize the demands of the great nation of Bahrain through civil and peaceful means, which will surely have the supports of other nations as well.

The late Grand Shia Jurist, Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Shirazi wa

ed of the damaging and destructive consequences of suppression and the lack of freedom a long time ago. His eminence had said: “The concept of council is much rather a safety valve for all gove

ments, particularly the Islamic ones; because the humankind has strong needs both to feed his body and his thought. In other words, the hungry people will rise up against the forces that have kept them hungry as it is narrated: ‘I wonder why the destitute don’t take up arms and rise against the rich.’ Similarly, if the ruling force of a nation doesn’t seek the council of its people, the people will rise against the regimes that have confiscated and ignored the thoughts and ideas.”

Therefore, the Bahraini gove

ment should pay attention to the demands of its nation and aims for a constructive interaction by building up trust between them and the protestors. It would be wrongful for the monarchs who represent the minority of a country to use force and domination in treating the marginalized majority. It should never be forgotten that the history has proved that weapons and confrontation are useless means in the face of the oppressed nations. And to avoid further crises, the gove

ments should peacefully distribute power in the society, contribute to the ideal of pluralistic and free society, and implement the principle of council by adherence to justice and virtue. All these steps will ensure peace, security and national reconciliation paving the way for a free society centered on justice, virtue, truth and fai

ess.

In conclusion, Imam Shirazi World Foundation (ISWF) emphasizes on the sanctity of the lives of all innocent people and wa

ed against the violation of people’s rights. We ask the Almighty God to sweep away the duplicity and dishonesty from the Islamic countries, have mercy on all the martyrs, send patience to the families of these martyrs and expedite the recovery of the wounded. Verily God is hearing and knowing.

• Statement by Grand Ayatollah Shirazi Office after the Catastrophic Flood in Pakistan

On August 18, 2010, series of devastating floods in Pakistan left hundreds of people killed and millions homeless. Following this catastrophic incident, the Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi in holy Qom released a message and asked all Muslims around to the world to come to the help of the poor Pakistani Muslims.

Here is the message:

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise belongs to the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure family and curse be upon all their enemies.

The holy Prophet of Islam states: “The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, and fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever.”

The recent floods in Pakistan, which affected most of the country and destroyed millions of houses was a catastrophic incident which needs the attentions of all Muslims around the world, because the holy Prophet of Islam has said: “If a Muslim hears the voice of another Muslim calling for help and doesn’t answer this call, he is not a Muslim.”

Therefore, everyone is responsible to offer their help to the flood victims and support them both financially and spiritually and provide them with the basic requirements such as food, clothing, medicine, and shelter. The rewards of this good act will be multifold in the sacred month of Ramadan.

It also should be noted that such natural disasters can be divine trials or they can happen due to the spread of corrupt and heretic thoughts such as Takfiri and radical ideologies or the desertion of Islamic laws and the legacies of the holy Prophet of Islam, the holy Quran and the Household of the holy Prophet.

We pray to the Almighty God to save the Muslims, expedite the reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may God hasten his advent, and wash away the sorrow and grief from the victims of these floods. God is hearing and responder.

Office of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi

Holy Ramadan 1431, August 2010

Holy Qom, Iran

• Statement by Grand Ayatollah Shirazi Office about Horrible Incidents in Bahrain

In the wake of the painful and tragic events in Bahrain, the neighboring Islamic country, where brutal mercenaries have committed unspeakable crimes against the believers, the Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi in holy Karbala released a statement and condemned the flagrant violation of human and religious rights of the Bahraini civilians. In this statement, the Grand Jurist’s Office demanded the Muslim world, especially the followers of the pure Household, peace be upon them, to stand by the side of the oppressed nation of Bahrain and urge the inte

ational community to prevent further suppressive measures against the defenseless Bahrainis.  Here comes the text of this message:

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Almighty God states: “and whoever is slain unjustly, We have indeed given to his heir authority,” Holy Quran 17; 33

The holy Prophet of Islam has stated: “If a Muslim hears the voice of another Muslim calling for help and doesn’t answer this call, he is not a Muslim.”

The brutal suppression and crackdowns against the clever and honorable nation of Bahrain, who only ask for their legitimate and legal rights, is a flagrant violation of the basic rights of any nation, endorsed by all religions and faiths and the human rights charters.

In all places and under all circumstances, every person has the right to rally peacefully and ask for their legitimate rights; however, the enemies of humanity have gone to great lengths to kill the voice of nations chanting for freedom and their legitimate rights.

Today, the world is watching that the Bahrainis’ call for freedom has been responded by bullets. Criminals, mercenaries, and terrorists attack the defenseless people of Bahrain with all sorts of cold weapons and the law enforcement and the police support them. It is in fact a loud cry for help from the inte

ational community and the civil rights foundations who can support the Bahraini nation by means of the media and diplomacy so that these harsh crimes come to an end.

It should not be forgotten that the media has a grave responsibility towards the defenseless and oppressed nation of Bahrain.

The Muslims and the followers of the pure Household should also fulfill their human responsibilities and stand by the side of the oppressed people as the holy Prophet of Islam has stated: “If a Muslim starts the day, while he doesn’t have any conce

s for the affairs of other Muslims, he is not a real Muslim.”

In the end, we pray to Almighty God to have mercy on the martyrs, send patience to their families and expedite the recovery of the wounded.

March 13, 2011

Office of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

Holy Karbala, Iraq

• Statement by the Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi after Disrespectful Behaviors by Saudi Authorities

The Central Office of the Grand Shia Islamic Jurist, Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi made a statement and condemned the disrespectful behaviors of Wahhabi agents and the arbitrary arrests of Shia pilgrims in the mosque of the holy Prophet of Islam and the cemetery of Baqi in holy Medina, Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the Grand Jurist’s Office demanded the immediate release of the Shia pilgrims who were detained for no clear reason, and asked for the perpetrators of these disrespectful behaviors to be put on trial.

This statement is as follows:

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise belongs to the Lord of the worlds and peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure family and God’s curse be upon their enemies till the dooms day.

We extend our condolences to the entire Muslim community over the martyrdom of the holy Prophet of Islam, who was chosen to reflect God’s mercy on the entire universe.

Hereby, we strongly condemn the disrespectful and aggressive incidents that took place in holy Medina, near the sacred cemetery of Baqi and the mosque of the holy Prophet of Islam, where shots were fired and a number of believers were wounded. Meanwhile, we demand the immediate release of all Shia pilgrims who were illegally detained. The Saudi authorities have no rights to stop the Shia pilgrims from reading Quran or doing their religious obligations. Additionally, the Wahhabi and Takfiri agents should not be allowed to impose their austere beliefs on the Shia and the followers of other sects of Islam. It is also obvious that all people who have misbehaved the pilgrims should be put on trial and face justice, otherwise, these pressures and disrespectful behaviors will result in irretrievable repercussions.

We pray for the safety and the swift recovery of the pilgrims of the sacred sites, where God Almighty has made them holy and honorable.

“In houses which Allah has allowed to be raised up, and His Name to be remembered therein. In the mo

ing and evening are men who exalt Him there, whom neither trade nor sale can divert from the remembrance of Allah,” Holy Quran 24; 36-37

The book Durrul Manthur, explains these verses in the following lines: “And he pointed to the house of Ali and Fatima and said: Is this (place) also included? The God’s messenger answered: Yes, and indeed, it is of their best.”

The Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

February 24, 2009

• Statement by Grand Ayatollah Shirazi’s Office over the Massacres by Zionists

The Central Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi in holy Qom strongly condemned the mass killing of innocent Lebanese by the Zionist regime. In the statement published by the Grand Jurist’s Office, it is emphasized that the Muslims can avoid all such miseries by coming back to the holy Quran and the glorious policies of the holy Prophet of Islam and his Household.

Here comes this message:

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The Grand Shia Jurist, Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi condemns all crimes of the Zionists, especially the killings of the innocent Lebanese.

His eminence stated: Israel is founded on enmity, mass slaughter, and the displacement of innocent people; a trend that has been pursued by the support of powerful gove

ments for sixty decades. The countless and appalling crimes of the Zionists have mainly afflicted the innocent civilians, resulting in the death of women and children and the destruction of thousands of houses. All these inhumane and ghastly crimes has made this regime, a strongly despicable entity in our world.

Furthermore, the Grand Jurist demanded the entire Muslim communities to rush to the help of the oppressed Lebanese and prevent the Zionist regime from continuing its unlawful policies.

The Grand Ayatollah Shirazi also emphasized: The only way for Muslims to overcome their problems and confront their aggressive enemies is to go back to the teachings of the holy Quran and the invaluable traditions of the holy Prophet of Islam and his pure Household; as the holy Prophet of Islam stated: “I have left among you two weighty things, the book of God and my Household. If you stay with them, you shall never be lost.”

The Grand Jurist also mentioned: One of the reasons for the Muslims weakness is their lack of knowledge. In this regard, there should be organized and cooperative movements that promote the public culture and help the principle of “Council” become actualized in all societies. No doubt that with God’s help, these movements will help the Muslims reclaim their rights and end the oppressive Zionist regime.

In the end, the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi prayed for these problems of the Muslim nations to be resolved and then, his eminence mentioned this verse of Quran: “Say: ‘My Lord cares little for you if it was not for your supplication,” Holy Quran 25; 77

• Statement by the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi’s Office over the Mosque Fire in Tehran, Iran

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

“We are from God and to Him, we shall retu

.”

Tens of worshippers and mou

ers of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, lost their lives and were injured in a fire at Arak Mosque in Tehran, Iran. This painful incident has hurt the feelings of all Shia Muslims and the Grand Jurist, Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi.

Therefore, the Grand Jurist offers his ea

est sympathy to the survivors and the families of the victims and sends condolences to Imam Mahdi, may God hasten his reappearance, the believers, the mou

ers of Imam Husayn, and the families of the victims. His eminence also prays to the Almighty God to place the victims of this incident in heavens, beside the master of the martyrs, Imam Husayn, peace be upon him. The Grand Ayatollah Shirazi also prays for the families of the victims to have patience and for the injured to have full and quick recovery.

The Office of the Grand Ayatollah Shirazi

Holy Qom, Iran

February 14, 2005

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CHAPTER THREE

THE BIG FAMILY OF SHIRAZI

Chronicles of the Big Family of Shirazi

In this chapter, the readers are presented with a brief introduction of many popular and well-known figures and ancestors of the Grand Shia Islamic Juris Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi.

• Mirza Shirazi, the Great Grandfather of Eminent Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi

The epic movement of the late Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Shirazi has been a remarkable event in the history of Shia Islam. The great grandfather of the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi was an exceptional and great scholar, who brought the British colonizers to their knees after he issued a religious verdict and prohibited the use of Tobacco in that critical period.

The Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Shirazi, also known as Mirza Shirazi, was bo

to Mirza Mahmud, on April 25, 1815 into a pious and virtuous family living in the city of Shiraz in Iran.